Wheel structure



E. l. DODDS.

WHEEL STRUCTURE. APPLICATION FILED 05c. 13. 1920.'

1 A26, 1 5 7., Patented Aug. 15, 1.922.

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

ETHAN I. DODDS, CENTRAL VALLEY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR '10 FLANNERY BOLT COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

WHEEL STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

Application filed December 13, 1920. Serial No. 480,272.

To all'whomitma concern:

. Be it known t at I, ETHAN I. Donos, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Central Valley, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheel Structures; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in wheels and more, particularly to a sheet metal wheel body,one object of the invention being to construct a sheet metal wheel body from a single blank in such manner as to (provide a hub portion and tubular spokes ra iating therefrom.

With this andother objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1' represents a partially formed sheet metal blank; Figure 2 is a view of the completed blank; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the wheel body, and Figure 4 is a sectional view.

I first make a blank such as shown in Fig ure 1 by slitting a sheet of metal 1 on a number of equi-distant'parallel lines 2 to form a plurality of parallel strips 3 running lengthwise of the sheet, and transverse strips 4 at-respective ends of the sheet or blank.

respective ends of the respective strips 4 will abut and these abutting ends will be welded together. Thecylinder. will then be collapsed so as to cause the end strips 4 to approach each other and form thehub portion 4 as clearly shown in F1gure 4. When the blank is collapsed as above explained, the strips 3 will be caused to be projected radi-. all and the semi-circular portions at one s1 e of the center of said strips to cooperate with the semi-circular portions at the other slde of the center and form tubular spokes 7. The plain or fiat central or intermediate portions 6 of the strips will be bent when the cyl ndrical blank collapsed as previously explanned, and form eyes or loops 8 at the outer end of each tubular spoke.

My invention provides a substantial sheet metal wheel body made from a single blank, with tubular spokes integral with a hub portion, and with eyes or loops at the ends of the spokes which will facilitate connection of a rim to the wheel body.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. A sheet metal wheel body, comprising hub portions each having one-half of a series of tubular spokes integral therewith, the

outer ends of the respective halves of each tubular spoke being integral with each other.

2. A sheet metal wheel body comprising hub portions, ing two members integral respectively with tubular spokes, each compristhe respective hub portions, integral eyes between and integral with the respective members of each spoke at the outer end of the latter.

' 3. A blank for a sheet metal wheel body. consisting of a single piece of metal slit and forming a plurality of parallel strips and transverse end strips, each of said parallel strips being part circular in cross section from the transverse strips to points at respective sides of the center of said parallel strips, the central portions of said parallel strips being flat. a

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib mg witnesses.

I ETHAN I. DODDS.

. Witnesses ETHAN IRA Donne, Jr., ,HENRY W. GnoMwELL. 

